While playing ball in my teens, I had his poster in my room (along with Dick Butkus, Bob Lilly, the Doors and a day-glo Captain America). I used to wear his No. 74 in Pop Warner and high school out of admiration and respect.
He seemed like such a nice guy and the quintessential gentle giant — ferocious on the field while kind and placid off it.
Olsen was the kind of role model that sports and kids sorely miss: a tremendous athlete — physically gifted, studious and smart — obviously intelligent, fully prepared for life after football with never a hint of impropriety.
He also struck me as a man men would strive to be: as brutishly tough and determined as they come, yet scholarly, kind, considerate and dignified; a class act all the way.
The world would be a better place if more people were like Merlin Olsen; it's less of one without him.
Cy Bolton
Rancho Cucamonga
::
In reading about the passing of Willie Davis, I was stunned to read that he still holds the all-time L.A. Dodgers records for the hits, extra-base hits, total bases, plate appearances, triples, and for the longest hitting streak, at 31 games.
I'm also saddened while learning this to now recognize that a man who was sometimes accused of not playing up to his potential in reality was clearly one of the greatest Dodgers ever.
Jim Gillespie
Temecula
::
I can still hear Dick Enberg describing another Merlin Olsen sack, "And the applause is for the defense!" I can still see Willie Davis galloping around the bases for another triple. A big part of my youth just walked into the shadows of the Coliseum tunnel. A piece of my childhood just rounded third and headed on home.
John Thompson
Chino
::
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